Device for compacting waste in containers

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device for compacting waste which is disposed in containers that are open at the top thereof. The inventive includes a compactor roller which is pivot-mounted to one end of a handling arm, the other end of the arm being mounted to a support frame in a collapsible manner. The device is characterized in that at least one of the transverse ends of the support frame has an anchoring device which can co-operate with a lift and load hook of a container transport vehicle.

RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device for compacting waste which is disposedin containers that are open at the top thereof, which device comprises acompactor roller which is rotationally mounted to one end of a handlingarm, the other end of which is mounted to a support frame, namely in acollapsible way.

The present invention will find its application in the field of thewaste-compacting devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In this respect, there is already known, in particular fromEP-0,042,580, such a device comprising a compactor roller mounted to theend of a hinged arm so as to be capable of plunging into a containerthrough its opening in the upper portion.

More exactly, this hinged arm is inserted in a directional way against abracket topping a base plate capable of being slit under a container, soas to maintain its stability during compaction.

Also, from FR-A-2,630,718 is known a compacting device comprising aframe above which is capable of moving a press likely to plunge into thecontainer that will have been previously placed in the cage defined bysaid frame. After use, the latter can be moved by means of the same kindof vehicle as used for transporting the containers. In particular, atone of its transverse ends, this frame is provided with coupling meansthrough which it can be seized by the hook for lifting and loading ontosuch a container transport vehicle.

It should be noted that the compactor devices described in each of theseprevious documents are functional when they rest on the ground and thecontainer the contents of which has to be compacted defines thecounterweight necessary to compensate for the compacting force impartedby a compactor roller or a press. In addition, since it is not mobile,after compaction of the contents of a container, the latter should beremoved, in order to leave room for another container for carrying out anew compaction operation.

It is obvious that these successive handling operations of thecontainers represent a considerable waste of time and require the use ofadequate transport vehicles. In particular, such containers usually reston two longitudinal beams and include, in the rear portion, rollingmeans in the form of rollers, while in the front portion are providedcoupling means which a handling hook provided on an automotive transportvehicle is capable of co-operating with. More exactly, through this hookand said coupling means the transport vehicle is capable of lifting saidcontainer at its front portion, in order to gradually draw it onto itsloading platform.

Furthermore, from EP-1,046,190 is known a similar device for compactingwaste, taking into consideration that the bracket receiving the hingedarm provided with the compactor roller is, here, mounted on a platformfrom where extend, in the front portion, two longitudinal beamsmaintaining between them a significant distance and provided, at theirfree end, with a metal roller with a reduced cross-section. In its rearportion, this platform includes directional wheels of larger dimensionsand maintaining between them a smaller distance.

In this same rear portion, the platform also includes retractablestruts, with a view to improving its stability during the compactingphase.

This device as described in this previous document is self-propelled.More exactly, the rear wheels are mounted on both sides of a central hubpivoting about a vertical axis and on which act said driving means, inparticular of a hydraulic type.

Though, contrarily to the compacting device described in EP-0,042,580,the one corresponding to EP-1,046,490 is mobile and can therefore bebrought close to a container to compact the waste contained in it, andnot inversely, this mobility has a cost.

Thus, here the platform has to be provided with the device of rollingmeans, some of which are directional, and it has to be provided withautonomous driving means and a hydraulic aggregate.

In this respect, it should be noted that from GB-2,261,832 is also knowna device for compacting waste the hinged arm of which, provided with itscompactor roller, is finally provided on an automotive vehicle, of thetype public works vehicle, including a control station. Though thisvehicle has a very great mobility and can very quickly pass from onecontainer to another, it proves to be of an even higher cost price thana self-propelled device as described above.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been able to find a perfect compromise in thisfield of the compaction of waste in containers that are open in theupper portion, in particular through an extremely simple device. Inparticular, the latter allows to make use, as means for displacement,but also as a bearing structure, of the transport vehicles which areusually present on the industrial site where such containers of wasteare stored. In this context, it has also been devised that such atransport vehicle can, eventually, supply the compacting device with thepower which is necessary for its operation.

In brief, the compactor device according to the invention is of astructure astutely adapted to be easily positioned on the loadingplatform of a transport vehicle for containers which allows to bring itvery quickly in front of such a container stored on any industrial site,with a view to compacting its contents.

Thus, the invention relates to a device for compacting waste which isdisposed in containers that are open at the top thereof, which devicecomprises a compactor roller which is rotationally mounted to one end ofa handling arm, the other end of which is mounted to a support frame,namely in a collapsible way, characterized in that said bearing frame isessentially comprised of two longitudinal beams defining slides forloading said device onto the loading platform of a container transportvehicle and is provided, at one of its transverse ends, with couplingmeans designed capable of cooperating with a lifting and loading hooksaid container transport vehicle includes.

Though, in a first embodiment, this device can be provided withautonomous driving means, it can, in a simplified embodiment, includemeans, in the form of a hydraulic and/or pneumatic and/or electric powertake-off, for connection to independent driving means, in particulardefined by said transport vehicle.

Since container transport vehicles are present either permanently orperiodically on the sites where containers with waste are stored, it hasbeen devised that such a vehicle can ensure, in particular during theperiods in which it is not used for other purposes, the picking up ofthe compactor device. This picking up consists in conferring to thelatter the necessary mobility and stability to allow it to beindividually brought in front of each container in which waste has to becompacted.

This vehicle can eventually also provide it with the necessary power,either for driving the compactor roller or for controlling and movingthe hinged arm it is provided with.

In brief, in this case, the compactor device is without rolling means,in particular of a directional type. Furthermore, since its stability nolonger needs to be ensured by the container in which the compactingoperation is carried out, its structure does no longer directly dependon that of such a container. Accordingly, it proves to be of a verysimple design, without this having any influence on its performances orthe easiness of its use.

Deprived of autonomous driving means, this device proves to be, inaddition, extremely economical.

Further aims and advantages of this invention will become clear whenreading the following description, which refers to an embodiment givenby way of an indicative and non-restrictive example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

This description will be better understood when referring to theattached drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic and perspective view of the compactor deviceaccording to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic and elevational view of this compactor deviceduring its picking up by a containers transport vehicle;

FIG. 3 is a schematic and elevational view of this device, mounted on atransport vehicle and during the compaction of waste contained in acontainer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 1 to 3 of the attached drawings, the present inventionrelates to a device 1 includes for compacting waste 2 which is disposedin containers 3 that are open in their upper portion 4.

This device 1 includes a compactor roller 5 rotationally mounted on oneend 6 of a hinged handling arm 7. The other end 8 of the device isinserted, preferably in a collapsible way, against a bearing frame 9.Finally and according to the invention, this bearing frame 9 includes,at least at one of its transverse ends 10, 11, a operating with alifting hook 13 of an automotive container transport vehicle 14.

Thus and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the hook 13 which the coupling means12 of the bearing frame 9 is capable of co-operating with can ensure notonly a function of lifting, but also of loading the device forcompacting waste 1 onto the loading platform 15 of this transportvehicle 1.

In this respect, in order to facilitate this loading, but also, in theevent of using of a more rudimentary transport vehicle, to facilitatethe sliding on the ground of the compactor device 1, its bearing frame 9advantageously includes, at its transverse end 11 opposite the couplingmeans 13, a rolling means 16 that can be defined by simple metal rollerspivotally mounted about a horizontal-transverse axis of rotation.

It should however be noted that such rolling means 16 are in no wayindispensable and, for this reason, have been shown only indiscontinuous lines in figure 2.

It should also be noted that the bearing frame 9 essentially includestwo longitudinal beams 17, 18 defining slides alongside which can moverail-wheels 19 along the loading platform 15 of the transport vehicle14. The loading platform is usually included for loading, but also forunloading the device for compacting waste 1.

As regards the coupling means 12, they are defined, in particular at thetransverse end 10 of this bearing frame 9, by a reversed V-shapedstructure 20 carrying, at its upper end, a coupling bar 21 to which thelifting hook 13 co-operates.

Though it can be seen in figure 3 that the device for compacting waste 1is functional when it is picked up onto the loading platform 15 of acontainer transport vehicle 14, which allows to bring it very quickly infront of each container 3 in which waste 2 has to be compacted, it canalso be used when it rests on the ground.

In this respect, the hinged handling arm 7 is preferably mounted in thevicinity of one of the transverse ends 10, 11 of the bearing frame 9, inparticular at the transverse end 11 opposite the coupling means 12.Under such circumstances, the bearing frame 9 defines a counterweightfor the compactor roller 5 when the latter is extended in said container3 through the hinged arm 7.

When positioned on a container transport vehicle 14, the lifting andloading hook 13, which cooperates with the coupling means 12, alsoimpedes, as can be seen in FIG. 3, this bearing frame 9 from moving whenthe hinged handling arm 7 is actuated.

The handling arm 7 is comprised of two or more lengths 22, 23, 24 hingedwith respect to each other and actuated through driving organspreferably defined in the form of hydraulic and/or pneumatic jacks 25,26.

It should be noted that, in order to allow the folding back of this arm7 above the bearing frame 9, it is also mounted in a hinged way to thebearing frame 9.

Though, in a first embodiment, this device 1 can be provided withautonomous driving means, it can, in a simplified embodiment, includemeans (not shown) for connection to independent driving meansadvantageously defined by the transport vehicle 14. Such connectingmeans can be hydraulic and/or pneumatic and/or electric power take-offallowing this transport vehicle 14 to supply the necessary power forcontrolling the jacks 25, 26 of the hinged handling arm 7, and also forrotationally driving the compactor roller 5.

In any case, for controlling its operation, the compactor device 1 canbe provided with a control station 28. The control station 28 ispreferably located at the rear of the bearing frame 9, i.e. opposite thecoupling means 12.

Finally and as results from the preceding description, the device forcompacting waste 1 disposed in a container 3 proves to be of a verysimple design. When its operation depends, in addition, on externaldriving means, in particular on the transport vehicle ensuring itspicking up, it is even more economical.

Based on this observation and on the very principle of the operation ofthis type of synchronous brushless motor, the electronic synchronizationlogical unit 19 is designed capable of determining, depending on thedetected position of their rotor 8, the sequence of current supply to beapplied in an identical way to the phases 6 of these motors 2, 3.

More particularly, in this way the coils 5 of these motors 2, 3 aresupplied with current in an identical, in order to achieve, as the casemay be, a maximum torque at the level of the rotor of the delayed motorand, on the contrary, a reduced, even zero couple, at the rotorcorresponding to the fast motor.

Finally, as is noted from the preceding description, the driving deviceaccording to the invention is not only of a very simple design, comparedto the known devices, since it now includes only one electronic logicalunit 19, but, in addition, it allows to guarantee a perfectsynchronization of operation of the motors 2, 3, since no offset by morethan one electric rotation can occur in this case.

It should be noted that, if the motors 2, 3 are in addition identicaland designed capable of operating under the same voltage, the drivingdevice can be limited to one single electronic power unit 18 forcontrolling all the motors, as appears in FIG. 2.

Furthermore, since, for a current supply in an identical way for thephases of the motors 2, 3, the position of each of their rotors is takeninto consideration, the blocking of any of them for any reasonwhatsoever necessarily results into a current supply to these motorsaccording to identical sequences, so that all the rotors are thenmaintained in a fixed position until the restoring of the failing motor.

The driving device according to the invention can find its application,typically, in the field of the control of the windscreen wipers of motorvehicles.

In this case, it very often occurs that there are several windscreenwiper brushes synchronously actuated by their own motors.

There are also known systems for adjusting pedal blocks of such avehicle, which adjustment must be identical for each pedal. Therefore,to each of the latter is associated a motor. The various motors aredesigned capable of operating synchronously through the driving deviceaccording to the invention.

1. A device for compacting waste in which the waste is disposed incontainers that have an open top, the device comprising: a handling armhaving a first end and a second end; a compactor roller rotatablymounted to said first end; a support frame mounted to said second end ofsaid handling arm, said support frame comprising a pair of longitudinalbeams; a vehicle having a loading platform thereon, said pair oflongitudinal beams defining slides suitable for loading said handlingarm and said compactor roller and said support frame onto said loadingplatform, said vehicle having a lifting and loading hook operativelyconnected thereto; a coupling means connected to one end of said supportframe, said coupling means for cooperating with said lifting and loadinghook of said vehicle.
 2. The device of claim 1, said support framehaving an end and an opposite end, the device further comprising: ametal roller rotatably mounted to said opposite end of said supportframe so as to rotate about a horizontal axis.
 3. The device of claim 2,said coupling means comprising: an inverted V-shaped structure at saidend of said support frame; and a coupling bar affixed to an upper end ofsaid structure, said coupling bar being cooperative with said liftingand loading hook.
 4. The device of claim 2, said handling arm having aportion connected adjacent said opposite end of said support frame. 5.The device of claim 1, said handling arm comprising at least two lengthshingedly connected together, the device further comprising: a jackdrivingly connected to said handling arm, said jack being fluidactuated.
 6. The device of claim 1, further comprising: a controllingmeans operatively connected to said handling arm for controlling anoperation at said handling arm.